“Alternative Energy” is going mainstream, according to this Wired article. More and more people are installing solar or wind power systems, agumented by ties to the traditional electric grid, to handle their home electrical needs.
Various reasons are sited, with the biggie being cost savings over the long run. I think that’s just fine, charter member of the Silas Marner Society that I am. But the part that caught the eye of the survivalist in was this:
At the same time, the conventional power grid is showing signs of age. Energy use has increased far more quickly than capacity has been added. So blackouts and brownouts occur more often. According to Jay Apt, director of the Electricity Industry Center at Carnegie Mellon University, every four months the US endures a blackout large enough to cut power to half a million homes. Add the threat of terrorism, and homeowners understandably want greater security and control over their power. “I’d rather do it myself than trust the experts,” Bell[a homeowner interviewed for the article] says. When the grid goes down, his lights stay on.
Mr. Bell, welcome to the survival mentality.
With the news being what it is today, this is a welcome thing to see–Joe Average is starting to realize that he needs to take care of himself and his family. The government isn’t going to do it for you; you have to take responsibility for it.
Heck, the next thing you know, Mr. Bell will be showing up at the gun show.